Merseyside Army Cadet Force, Preparations for Camp
Photograph by Sergeant Nick Wilkinson.

CADET Natalie Casey, 14 years, a student at Knowsley Hey School, practices her fieldcraft. Together, with other cadets from the Second Royal Tank Regiment Detachment, based at Eaton Street, Prescot, they prepare for a weekend at the Nesscliffe Training Camp in Shropshire. More than one hundred young people from the St Helens and Knowsley area are expected to attend.

They will bivouack overnight in woodland. This means creating makeshift shelters from natural materials and a sheet of waterproof fabric. They cook for themselves and engage in military maneuvers.  All hope for good weather.

For more information about the ACF visit the Merseyside ACF website.

Have a shot @ shooting!

THE third annual National Shooting Week, which will run from 23 May to 31 May 2009, looks set to be bigger than ever. Over 100 shooting schools and clubs across the nation will open their doors to the public to give them an opportunity to try one of the most exciting and inclusive sports in Britain.

National Shooting Week is a Government-backed initiative, organised by the British Shooting Sports Council, the umbrella body for shooting sports. As one of the UK's most popular sports, shooting welcomes all, regardless of age, gender or disability. Media coverage of the growth in gun crime and illegal guns has sometimes overshadowed the fact that shooting is an Olympic sport at which the UK excels. At the 2006 Commonwealth Games shooting accounted for 23 of the UK’s 116 medals.

Gerry Sutcliffe MP, Minister for Sport said:- “National Shooting Week is an opportunity for the sport to show itself to the wider community in the UK. The week gives an opportunity for all the misconceptions about shooting to be put to one side, but it also gives people the chance to understand that this is a sport that can be for everybody.”

Organiser Rob Gray said:- “More than one million people take part in UK shooting sports. It is accessible, affordable and addictive. We’re hoping that people from all walks of life will try shooting for the first time during the week. Shooting is one of the safest sports in Britain and teaches people to respect firearms.”

The week is aimed at people who have never experienced target shooting before. Complete beginners who would like to give it a shot can find out where their nearest shooting event is during the week by going to:- www.nationalshootingweek.co.uk.

What are your views on this? Email us now to:- news24@southportreporter.com.

STAFF CELEBRATE COMPANY'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY

EMPLOYEES at the City Link depot in Liverpool are celebrating the company’s 40th anniversary in business.

The premium express delivery company was first formed in 1969 and has since built a solid reputation as one of the UK’s most experienced high quality and recognised express delivery companies.

Dave Ritson, General Manager at the City Link depot in Liverpool commented:- “We are very proud of the fact that City Link is celebrating its 40th anniversary in business.

It is undoubtedly a fantastic achievement to be able to look back in business over four decades.

We pride ourselves on providing high quality, flexible and innovative service solutions to our local Customers and we look forward to celebrating our Ruby anniversary year with them.”

City Link has a network of over 85 depots, employs more than 6,000 people and operates a fleet of 3,000 vehicles to deliver in excess of 350,000 parcels daily. In recent months the company has also enjoyed a number of significant contract wins and announced a £31m investment programme in technology, Customer Care and new Depots.

Extended flexible working will benefit millions - Usdaw

JOHN Hannett, General Secretary of Usdaw, the shopworkers' union said that:- "THE extension of flexible working will benefit millions of retail workers across the country" after it was anounced that flexible working will has been be extended to parents of children up to the age of 16 as of the Monday, 6 April 2009. To now it had previously applied only to parents of children up to the age of 6. Usdaw has been at the forefront of the campaign for this new right.  John Hannett commented:- "I am delighted that the Government is extending the right to request flexible working to an additional 4.5 million parents of older children. Flexible working has already been a success for millions of parents of younger children and for carers who have already been given the right to request it. Businesses have also benefited from increased productivity so both families and employers will be winners from the new legislation.  Usdaw has been at the forefront of campaigning for the right to request flexible working to be extended to parents of older children. We were delighted that one of Gordon Brown's first acts as Prime Minister was to set up Imelda Walsh's review and that now millions of working parents with older children will benefit from the extension of the right."  Malcolm Calaby is an Usdaw member, who will benefit from the change. He and his wife Shirley have two daughters, Rosie 13 and Holly 12. Malcolm is very pleased about the extension of the right to request flexible working to parents with older children:- "After the age of six, children don't stop needing to be cared for. Both my wife and I work, so the right to request flexible working could be very useful to us.  In the past one of us has had to take unpaid leave to look after one of our daughters if she was ill. This can get very hard on the finances. We also struggled to juggle school holidays between us. I'm delighted at this sensible move from the Government, which will undoubtedly benefit countless families in our position." 

To find out more visit:- www.direct.gov.uk.